Optimal scheduling of an islanded microgrid based on minimum cost

In this paper, the optimal operation of a photovoltaic unit, a geothermal generator, a biomass generator and a storage system is determined by a mixed-integer linear programming algorithm. Modeling, control and optimal operation of intelligent smart islanded microgrids with renewable energy resources (RES) have gotten high attention in the past years. Optimal operation scheduling of the generators and the batteries is a crucial issue in these systems. Starting and stopping the generation units at the right time can maximize the system's performance, minimize the operation cost and ensure a more reliable power balance for the microgrid. A PC software was developed to determine these start- and stop-moments for each generator and the charge of batteries. This Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system can ensure the optimal scheduling of the generation units and guarantees correct functioning of the equipment, focusing on the operation cost, the generation and control measurements. The results are presented in a GUI (Graphical User Interface).